So it’s finally time to retire … or is it?
To help you decide whether you’re ready to quit working and how much you will need, Bina Brown does the sums.
So you think you may be ready to retire. Before you swap your office garb for the gardening gear, you may need to think about the timing, among other things.
Read MoreGood news. The RBA keeps rates on hold.
As widely expected, the RBA has kept rates on hold for another month. Good news for variable rate mortgage holders.
It is however important to note that factors such as the reported skills shortage and low unemployment rates are likely to put upward pressure on wages.
Read MoreSwitching super money to save on tax
Yes, by all means start a TTR pension. And, yes, you can recontribute the money back into your super, where it will go into an accumulation account, separate from your pension account.
I suggest you open a second bank account within your super fund to take your recontributions and thus segregate the two. You can also salary sacrifice into this account.
Read MoreSuper Terminology Confusing: Survey
Millions of Australians nearing retirement age know little about superannuation and are confused by its basic terminology, a survey has found.
A Suncorp Life survey found that one in three people between 50 and 64 did not know the definition of the term transition to retirement.
Read More2011 Summer Newsletter
We hope 2011 will be very special for you on many fronts. From our perspective, as your financial advisers, we would like the financial front to be the most special.
Comments from various ‘Market Watchers and Investment Analysts’ point to a positive 2011 for investment markets.
We are now..
Click here to read the 2011 Summer Newsletter
Read MorePaid Parental Leave
The Paid Parental Leave scheme provides a government-funded entitlement for working parents.
Parental Leave Pay will be available to working parents who meet the eligibility criteria. You will have access to Parental Leave Pay if you are the primary carer of a child born or adopted from 1 January 2011. If you are eligible, you will be able to receive Parental Leave Pay at the National Minimum Wage, for up to 18 weeks.
Read MoreOur Debt Deal
Australia has the highest household debt to disposable income ratio in the world, even higher than the United States1.
Over the past decade income growth has failed to keep up with property prices, with rapid growth over the past few years driven particularly by government incentives to first-home buyers.
Read MoreAttitudes to Superannuation and the Value of Financial Advice
Some interesting statistics were released from ASFA’s annual research into community attitudes to superannuation.
Over two thirds of Australians believe that the 9% Superannuation Guarantee (SG) is not enough to fund an adequate retirement.
Read MoreThe Year Now Gone, And The Year To Come
From a business perspective, Australia was a great place to be during 2010. Thanks in part to continued growth in China, our economy stayed strong.
Because of this, unemployment hovered near record lows. And although thanks to the cautiousness of the Reserve Bank, interest rates rose, they’re not yet at the level likely to cause large scale mortgage stress for households.
Read MoreWhy Would You Use A Mortgage Broker?
Why would I use a Mortgage Broker?
Because they can save you time and money.
As the Home Loan market becomes increasingly complex, more people are turning to Mortgage Brokers. Here are some of the reasons.
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